Canadian luge team looks for recruits in Calgary

Head coach hopes absence of NHL hockey will give more exposure and coverage to the sport

Recruitment camps for Canada's national luge team are in Calgary looking for new talent.

The head coach says the more people that become interested in luge — the better the performances will be at the upcoming Olympics.

Wolfgang Staudinger also hopes the absence of NHL hockey will give more exposure and coverage to the sport.

"For us it would be good...more coverage means more recruitment, more young athletes into the sport because this is a great facility where you can get into an Olympic sport in front of your house door, "said Staudinger.

Noelle Jones was inspired to start the sport three years ago, by her sister who’s on the national team. The 16-year-old admits many of her friends, simply aren’t interested in luge.

"I go to a school where it's mainly hockey. There are not very many lugers in Canada — I guess we're a select few."

The best finish for Canada’s luge team in the 2010 games was 7th place.